$123 Find Cheap Flights from Chicago to Carmel-by-the-Sea

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from Chicago to Carmel-by-the-Sea departing on 3/30. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
1 adult
1 adult, Economy, 0 bags

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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$241
Overall average: $289
Southwest
Sat 2/14Tue 2/17
MDW - SFO • 1 stop
Cheapest non-stop
$242
Typical prices: $295-$502
United Airlines
Sat 2/21Sat 2/28
ORD - SFO • Non-stop
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Flight Deals
Useful Info
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from Chicago to Carmel-by-the-Sea (CHI-SFO)

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from Chicago to Carmel-by-the-Sea that are departing in the next months. While these flights were available on KAYAK in the last 72 hours, prices and availability are subject to change and deals may expire.
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Recent round-trip flight deals from Chicago to Carmel-by-the-Sea

Sat, Feb 14 - Tue, Feb 17
Southwest Logo
4:40 pm - 9:55 pm
MDW
-
SFO
7h 15m
1 stop
Southwest Logo
6:25 am - 12:25 pm
SFO
-
MDW
4h 00mnonstop
$241Southwest
Tue, Feb 10 - Sat, Feb 21
Frontier Logo
11:51 am - 9:39 pm
ORD
-
SFO
11h 48m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
11:00 pm - 10:46 am
SFO
-
ORD
9h 46m
1 stop
$241Frontier
Sun, Feb 8 - Tue, Feb 10
Frontier Logo
12:07 pm - 12:28 am
ORD
-
SFO
14h 21m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
10:58 pm - 11:14 am
SFO
-
ORD
10h 16m
1 stop
$242Frontier
Sat, Mar 14 - Sat, Mar 21
Southwest Logo
6:20 pm - 11:15 pm
MDW
-
SFO
6h 55m
1 stop
Southwest Logo
5:15 am - 11:10 am
SFO
-
MDW
3h 55mnonstop
$242Southwest
Thu, Feb 12 - Fri, Feb 20
Frontier Logo
4:16 pm - 8:03 am
ORD
-
SFO
17h 47m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
10:34 pm - 10:46 am
SFO
-
ORD
10h 12m
1 stop
$243Frontier
Sat, Mar 14 - Tue, Mar 17
Southwest Logo
9:40 pm - 12:20 am
MDW
-
SFO
4h 40mnonstop
Southwest Logo
10:55 pm - 8:50 am
SFO
-
MDW
7h 55m
1 stop
$244Southwest
Sat, Feb 21 - Tue, Feb 24
Frontier Logo
7:55 am - 5:58 pm
ORD
-
SFO
12h 03m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
10:58 pm - 10:51 am
SFO
-
ORD
9h 53m
1 stop
$244Frontier
Wed, Mar 18 - Wed, Mar 25
United Airlines Logo
6:17 am - 9:22 am
ORD
-
SFO
5h 05mnonstop
United Airlines Logo
11:59 pm - 6:19 am
SFO
-
ORD
4h 20mnonstop
$245United Airlines
Sat, Mar 7 - Sat, Mar 14
Southwest Logo
10:15 am - 5:15 pm
MDW
-
SFO
9h 00m
2 stops
Southwest Logo
11:25 pm - 5:30 am
SFO
-
MDW
4h 05mnonstop
$246Southwest
Wed, Feb 11 - Tue, Feb 17
Frontier Logo
12:36 pm - 12:28 am
ORD
-
SFO
13h 52m
2 stops
Frontier Logo
10:55 pm - 10:39 am
SFO
-
ORD
9h 44m
1 stop
$246Frontier
Useful Info

Good to know

Low seasonJanuary
Cheapest flight$124
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 21% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 7% increase in price.
Flight from Chicago O'Hare Airport to San Francisco

When to book flights from Chicago to Carmel-by-the-Sea

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Chicago to Carmel-by-the-Sea based on our flight data from the last year. Discover the cheapest month and even day to fly.
Estimated round-trip price

FAQs for booking flights from Chicago to Carmel-by-the-Sea

  • Which airports will I be using when flying from Chicago to Carmel-by-the-Sea?

    When flying out of Chicago you’ll be using one of these airports: Chicago Midway or Chicago O'Hare Intl. Carmel-by-the-Sea does not have its own airport so you’ll be flying into nearby San Francisco airport, which is 78.0 mi away.

  • How long does a flight from Chicago to Carmel-by-the-Sea take?

    Direct flights cover the 1,855 miles separating Chicago and Carmel-by-the-Sea in about 4h 25m.

  • How many flights are there between Chicago and Carmel-by-the-Sea?

    81 direct flights run between Chicago and Carmel-by-the-Sea on a daily basis. On average, there are about 567 departures each week.

  • What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly between Chicago and Carmel-by-the-Sea?

    Consider leaving on a Friday and avoid Sundays if you are looking for the best rates. For your return to Chicago, you’ll find the best rates on Mondays and the most expensive ones on Saturdays.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from Chicago to Carmel-by-the-Sea?

    KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can find for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights from Chicago to Carmel-by-the-Sea.

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from Chicago to Carmel-by-the-Sea?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Carmel-by-the-Sea from Chicago is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.

  • What is the Hacker Fare option on flights from Chicago to Carmel-by-the-Sea?

    Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket. You could then fly to Carmel-by-the-Sea with an airline and back to Chicago with another airline.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from Chicago to Carmel-by-the-Sea?

    Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying to Carmel-by-the-Sea from Chicago up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

  • Which airlines provide the cheapest flights from Chicago to Carmel-by-the-Sea?

    In the last 72 hours, the cheapest one-way ticket between Chicago and Carmel-by-the-Sea found on KAYAK was with JetBlue for $73. Frontier offered a round-trip connection from $90 and Hawaiian Airlines from $108.

Top tips for finding cheap flights from Chicago to Carmel-by-the-Sea

  • There is no airport in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Instead, you’ll be flying into San Francisco Airport when flying between Chicago and Carmel-by-the-Sea.
  • The cheapest flight from Chicago to Carmel-by-the-Sea was found 83 days before departure, on average.
  • Book at least 2 weeks before departure in order to get a below-average price.
  • High season is considered to be November, December and January. The cheapest month to fly is July.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving Chicago to Carmel-by-the-Sea

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from Chicago to Carmel-by-the-Sea? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
8.0
Alaska AirlinesOverall score based on 11792 reviews
8.5Crew
7.1Food
7.0Entertainment
8.1Boarding
7.8Comfort
Airline reviews

Delayed and no entertainment? I also forgot my headphones and immediately reported it and have not heard back yet.

4.0 OkayAnonymous, Jan 2026
PDX - BUR
Read more Alaska Airlines reviews

Delayed and no entertainment? I also forgot my headphones and immediately reported it and have not heard back yet.

The crew was very friendly. Boarding was quick and efficient.

Again, very smooth and all of the Alaska folks were great. They continue to meet all my needs.

Overall it was fine, however one of my two checked bags did not arrive and I was told it was left in Palm Springs. I don't understand how one of the two bags made it through fine but the other got lost .

No WiFi. Terrible food. Very long walk to the gate and from the gate after landing. Gate changed without notice.

I enjoyed the Starlink access but didn't have much time to use it. It also kept dropping me so I gave up. The food was very good though when I asked for a different "dessert" they didn't have anything. Chocolate Brownie Cookies are not suitable for everyone...maybe children. The flight staff were amazing - at least in First Class! My first time ever! The trip from Boise to San Diego was FAR better than going to Boise.

The whole experience went smoothly with no hitches along the way.

The flight was excellent and very friendly and helpful staff. Will travel again and recommend to friends. Thank you

I paid $168 each for myself and my daughter for an upgrade and we didn’t get any of the things mentioned by you/ site that comes with an upgrade. It was all just the same. One snack and one beverage. Nothing else. I don’t understand what the upgrade was.

One of the flight attendants treated my grandma who is 77 years old badly and would respond sarcastically. Example my grandma "do you have and honey by any chance" the flight attendant "does this look like a restaurant to you. She was also very rude to myself and my children giving us attitude and being sarcastic when answering.

3 hour delay. Had to change plans and was still delayed.

The staff was very friendly, professional, and courteous. The overall flight was a great experience.

The flight crew was extremely rude and especially not helpful when our flight was delayed.

The boarding and seat assignment system no longer works for me, but I know it is being replaced. Otherwise, I am good with the overall experience.

The lead steward kept singing about "San Francisco" and hotel California---more annoying than humorous....needs work. Flight was smooth and on time.

Still a fan of open seating. Flight was on schedule and arrived on time. The 737 MAX is very comfortable.

San Diego airport is brand new, spacious, airy and very smooth checkin at SW baggage drop.

Plane crashed into a bus or some other vehicle on the ground while pulling out of the gate. No injuries, but wing tip was damaged and returned to gate for “maintenance issues” and we departed 5 hours later because the plane went out of service and new plane was flown in from a nearby airport, Midway.

Ever since Southwest starting charging for bags, passengers don't want to pay to check their bags, so the gate agents have to beg people to check their roller bags now because there's "not enough space". This was a terrible business move by Southwest.

All was good. I just had a hard time getting connected to the WiFi/internet during the flight

They lost my luggage, so, not happy. The crew was nice but my suitcases never made it, still trying to find out what happened!

I understand weather is an issue, but making us chase our plane down at five scheduled gates across three terminals in an airport the size of O'Hare was unfair. They'd have probably been better off to leave gates as TBD until the inbound plane is in final approach instead of running us all over the place. Also, props to the consistently-unprepared ground crew in Richmond for once again leaving my lane parked short of the gate because they couldn't have a crew in place on time with 2 hours notice...

cabin crew was OK, food was OK, the trip from the US to Munich was actually pretty bad comfort wise. Noisy aircraft, lights never dimmed even in Business class (night flight) barely sufficient amenities for the price. I have millions of miles with United but TBH American is gaining ground and Delta has always been marginally better then United although on paper United has more longes and cheaper upgrades.

Essy to get on. The hostess gave very little pop, the plane was late getting in, and we are still waiting for our bags. This sucks. :/

Great flight. On time boarding. Smooth flight and on time arrival at EWR. The flight crew was marvelous and there was a great selection of movies on the entertainment system. Our bags were at the carousel before we got there. Another excellent flight from United.

I liked the snacks and the flight attendants were friendly.

After a delay at the gate, C3, at Ohare on Sunday, I left my Blk ski coat on the bench at the gate, lost! Please review my lob claim, thx.

Very thoughtful flight attendant offered me water immediately since I had run to make my connection.

Always wish for more healthy, gluten free options. We have to bring our own.

Having a long layover, I was very appreciative of the ability to stand by for an earlier flight. Other airlines like Delta have refused this to me in the past, just to be mean (because my ticket class wasn't high enough). United went out of their way to help me get to my destination early, which I really appreciated given that it was the third leg of a 24+ hour journey for me.

The aircraft had several problems - from excess fuel to non operational ac. Two hours of delay in Chicago could have been avoided with proper planning and aircraft maintenance.

Crew in Columbia was not prepared for landing. It was a bit of a disaster and getting bags took forever.

We were upgraded to First Class and it was a great flight

We experienced gate changes and a long delay. My seat was dirty when I boarded and I had to use wipes to clean it myself. There was an unpleasant and overpowering cleaning product scent on the plane as well that lingered through the flight.

My carry on baggage was damaged. Entire trip, I had to carry the baggage. When complained to the boarding crew, they got mad at me and still asked me to valet check in the cabin baggage. Rude boarding crew!!!

Crew were all friendly and helpful. It was a short flight so just a beverage service with a cookie. After we were boarded the plane took about 45 minutes to leave the gate but it was New Year’s Eve so not shocking there was some delay. Overall good experience and very grateful.

The boarding process needs to be fixed. The zone don't work, especially when there is hardly anyone in zones 3, 4,and 5, leaving the majority of the passengers backed up in the aisle, especially because passengers seated near the front are blocking passengers who are seated in the rear of the plane. It would also help if the size of carry on bags was more strictly enforced.

The boarding by groups is pointless. The first two groups worked fine, but almost Noone boarded in goups three thru five leaving the vast majority boarding when group six was called. It defeated the purpose of spreading out the crowd.

We loved the steward on the plane. He made the night enjoyable

The plane was late, when we did board the plane was as cold as a freezer. I was freezing the entire flight, no blankets. Lost miserable flight I’ve ever had.

Very well recently! Frontier is improving and less harrassing customer on luggages! Positive!

Good for a budget airline! It was easy to get on, staff was really nice. Can’t say anything about the food or entertainment because it wasn’t available, which is fine.

I am writing to express my disappointment with my recent Frontier Airlines flight. I was charged $99 at the gate because my bag was said to be too large, yet once onboard there was no available overhead bin space, and I was required to place the bag under the seat in front of me anyway. This made the charge feel unnecessary and unfair. Additionally, before the flight even took off, I was asked to move from the seat I paid for into a middle seat so another passenger and her cat could have my seat to themselves. I was not offered compensation or an explanation for being moved from a paid seat. Between the unexpected bag fee and being forced to give up my seat, this experience fell well below acceptable customer service standards. I would appreciate a review of this situation and appropriate compensation.

It was costly and difficult to check in. $85 to take a small suitcase with me, carry on or checked and $75 on the return trip, Plus $25 if I didn't check my self in check in $25, because I couldn't do it on the kiosk. Small very uncomfortable seats, waited on the runway for near an hour each way. It was my worst flight to date.

Better than expected. Staff were friendly and nice on both flights.

Terrible. The canceled my entire flight when I requested a refund for a trip frontier canceled trip one way.

i was unable to check in the flight. refund requested

Just know that everything, and I mean everything is “ala cart”. 60$ just to put something in the overhead bin. I will never fly Frontier again nor do I recommend them to anyone else.

I think Frontier was very good at communication. Their app worked very well. Loading was great and the flight was nice and easy.

Great for the price. No wifi or entertainment, but gate agents and crew were fantastic and we boarded quickly and left on time.

Everything you need to know for your flight from Chicago to Carmel-by-the-Sea

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